Local Religion / In Brief

Celebration for Buddha’s birthday

Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, known as Hanamatsuri, or Flower Festival, will be celebrated by the West Maui Buddhist community at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the Lahaina Hongwanji Mission.

According to Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, was born on April 8 more than 2,500 years ago in Lumbini Flower Garden in present day Nepal. His teachings are a guide to realizing a universal spirit of wisdom and compassion as a foundation for humanity.

The celebration will consist of a service that includes offering sweet tea to the infant statue of the Buddha enshrined in a flower shrine called hanamido, offerings of incense and flowers and birthday cake ceremony. The Rev. Ai Hironaka of Lahaina Hongwanji Mission will be the featured speaker. Fellowship activities will follow the service.

The observance is co-sponsored by the Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, Lahaina Shingon Mission and Lahaina Jodo Mission.

Lahaina Hongwanji Mission is located at 551 Wainee St.

All are welcome to join this celebration. For more information, call 661-0640.

* Local Religion in Brief is published every Friday and welcomes news releases and announcements from churches and religious organizations in Maui County that wish to publicize guest speakers, special events and programs, and news items. The deadline for submitting releases is 10 a.m. Tuesday in order to be considered for publication the following Friday. To submit material, call 249-6846 or send email to community@mauinews.com. “Church Listings” advertisements also are published on Fridays. For information, including cost or to update an existing listing, contact The Maui News advertising department at 242-6316 or adsales@mauinews.com.